This invention relates generally to the automatic correction of an electric timepiece using a wireless receiver and, in particular, to the automatic time correction of an electronic timepiece having a wireless receiver. The automatic time correction is performed in accordance with an external signal received by the wireless receiver.
Conventional electronic timepieces for use with wireless receivers are not generally provided with automatic time correcting functions that correct the time via an external signal. However, electronic timepieces in clocks in which time is automatically corrected every hour by receiving time information from the radio are known. Such electronic timepieces for clocks that receive time information from the radio are very limited in function. The electronic timepieces for clocks cannot be used with a wireless receiver. Further, the time information received from the radio is limited to time units of minutes and seconds. Accordingly, such clocks are unable to correct by the time unit of hours or the date.
Additionally, since the time unit is corrected in hourly intervals kept by its own standard time, the accumulated time error is corrected at one correction time when the information is received from the radio. Thus, this time correction technology is not capable of maintaining the correct time throughout the hour. It is only capable of keeping the correct time at one point during the hour. Furthermore, such time correcting technology would be especially inadequate for a stopwatch. An automatically corrected electronic timepiece with a selected signal receiving wireless receiver which is capable of constantly updating the time, thereby maintaining perfectly correct time information, has not yet been manufactured. The present invention provides such a system.
Recently, a multiplex broadcast system has been provided in which the bus standard for home automation is being unified. Thus, systems for providing external time information have been improved. However, the disadvantage that time error is accumulated from one time correction to the next has not been improved. Hence, even if accurate external time information is being provided to the electronic timepiece, the timepiece will not provide highly accurate time unless the electronic timepiece is capable of automatically adjusting at high accuracy. Thus, the prior art suffers not from a problem in receiving external time information in a punctual manner, but suffers from the inability to automatically correct or adjust the electronic timepiece in a punctual manner so as to keep the time displayed constantly correct at all points during the hour.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an automatically corrected electronic timepiece for a wireless receiver in which time correction is accurately achieved.